Titans, Preds, Major League Soccer execs offer candid look at ‘Business of Sports’

Franklin Tomorrow’s quarterly Breakfast With the Mayors, presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners, on Tuesday, July 25, was a candid and insightful look at “The Business of Sports” with executives from Nashville’s existing and hopeful professional sports teams.

Tennessee Titans President Steve Underwood, Nashville Predators President Sean Henry, and Nashville Major League Soccer co-founder Will Alexander joined County Mayor Rogers Anderson and Ellie Chin, CEO of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau, to discuss existing and future plans.

Underwood stunned the crowd when he announced a practice scrimmage by the Titans on Friday, Aug. 4, at Centennial High School. The event will be 7:15-9 p.m. and open to the public.

A school in Williamson County was selected because so many Titans fans and season ticket holders live there, Titans president and CEO Steve Underwood told The Tennessean Tuesday.

“Our head coach (Mike Mularkey) and our general manager (Jon Robinson) and our owner (Amy Adams Strunk) wanted to get out in the community,” Underwood said. “We have thousands of PSL holders and lots of fans in Williamson County. A lot of our players and staff live out there. It’s a great opportunity for us to spend time in the community and get away from our own environment and out into another place.”

Henry also had news, saying he expects to see a youth hockey and Predators training facility in Williamson County, which he calls home, within three years.

“I don’t think anyone wants it here more than me,” he told The Tennessean. “All four of my kids play, and I hate putting a timeline on anything, but I would sure hope there’s a positive announcement about an ice rink in Williamson County in the very near future.”